Coach’s playbook series: What coaches look for in young athletes

Posted: January 8, 2026

This is the first blog in a series that aims to help young athletes understand what coaches are looking for beyond athletic talent.

Many kids want to become better athletes in hopes of finding success on a school team or even making it on a college team.

Thousands of these kids sign up for Sanford Sports Academy programs each year. They learn everything from the fundamentals to advanced techniques, but athletic talent isn’t the only way to make a good impression on a coach.

Have a positive attitude

Your attitude is crucial to how you approach challenging situations, and your coach will notice.

“You need to have a positive energy,” said Sam Vosler, Sanford Sports Academy golf manager. “Without a good attitude, it’s very rare that you’re going to get through your journey and reach your goals. It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing it recreationally or doing it competitively, how you act is going to have an impact on your game.”

Be able to handle failure

Failure at any age isn’t easy but learning how to handle it can help you reach your goals early in your athletic journey.

“It’s probably one of the most important things to their success,” said Mark McCloskey, Sanford Sports Academy lead volleyball specialist. “The only way to learn is to screw things up. They need to get uncomfortable, get outside their comfort zone, try things and then figure it out. Because if they’re not willing to take risks and fail, it’s hard to get better.”

Be a good leader

Being a positive role model to your teammates and building community will help you stand out to your coach. 

“We’re always looking for good leaders,” Vosler said. “It’s the simple things that create the foundation. Is the person on time? Are they selfless? Do they communicate well? Are they doing more than what’s expected? Is their attitude at the highest level whether things are going well or not? Those are some of the leadership qualities we look for in young people.”

Be willing to learn

Your coach is there to teach, and you’ll only get better by listening and applying their techniques.

“Eye contact when coaching them is a big thing,” McCloskey said. “And also, response times. I give them feedback, and they apply it immediately. And then they do it consistently, so it doesn’t have to be repeated. I also like to give them opportunities to ask questions and learn that way.” 

Be a good teammate

Treat your teammates how you want to be treated. Everyone has good and bad games but treating people with respect regardless is important to the success of a team.

“We have our athletes sign a code of conduct,” Vosler said. “We try to check the boxes. Are they selfless? Are they caring about more than just themselves? Do they care about the coaches? We also create a culture and a system that allows them to be good teammates. And then when there isn’t somebody that checks those boxes, it’s obvious.”

Show up

A key part of being an athlete is to show up and take advantage of all the opportunities available to bettering yourself.

“We’ve had kids that didn’t know where they fit, didn’t have a lot of confidence in their ability, and then they put in effort,” McCloskey said. “We’ve got a handful of those that started that way and ended up playing college volleyball. And if they commit to the process of getting better and take all those opportunities, that’s where they end up.”